


Bride of the River God

by Nanenna



Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Genre: F/M, References to Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 16:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10925223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanenna/pseuds/Nanenna
Summary: Chihiro is just an ordinary young woman who lives in a quiet village out in the country side. But hard times have hit the village and duty calls upon Chihiro to take drastic steps to help save everyone she loves from a miserable fate.





	1. Gossip and Rumor

Once upon a time in a village nestled up to a river as it swiftly ran its course down a mountain side, there lived a rather ordinary young woman to whom mysterious things kept happening.

-=-=-=-=-

Chihiro squinted as she brought the shirt she was repairing closer to her face. The room she was sitting in was quite dark, perhaps not the best conditions to sew in but that also made it the coolest room in the house. She gently ran her fingers along the fabric, feeling the rough, jagged edges of the tear. There’d be no easy way to fix the hole in this shirt. The young woman made a rather exasperated sound as she turned to her brother, the owner of the torn shirt. “Haruki, how in the world did…” The question died on her lips. Haruki was sprawled out on the floor fast asleep while clutching his toy ball close. Chihiro sighed, then smiled fondly. Haruki was quite adorable while sleeping. As quietly as possible, she set aside her work then went and dug through the closet on the other side of the room. She quickly returned and carefully slipped a pillow under the young boy’s head. Satisfied that she hadn’t disturbed him, she picked her work back up along with a scrap of fabric to patch the tear.

The young woman’s work was interrupted next by the sound of the door sliding open, she looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway. “Ah, here you are Chihiro,” Mrs. Ogino said softly, “Mrs. Hashimoto has come for a visit, come help me entertain her.”

“Yes mother,” Chihiro replied just as softly. She was careful not to wake her sleeping brother as she set aside her work again and quietly left the room, Mrs. Ogino was just as careful as she quietly shut the room’s door behind them.

It didn’t take long for Chihiro and her mother to put together a very nice afternoon tea, which Chihiro carried into the sitting room and laid out for their guest. “Thank you, Chihiro dear,” Mrs. Hashimoto said as she accepted the cup of tea and admired the offered snacks. “These are all quite lovely.” As Chihiro settled down on the far side of the table, Mrs. Hashimoto turned her attention to Mrs. Ogino. “And how have you been doing since…” The older woman trailed off, as if afraid mentioning the subject would open the wound afresh.

“I still miss my mother dearly,” Mrs. Ogino replied. “But life moves on and I’m far too busy to feel sorry for myself.”

Mrs. Hashimoto gently patted Mrs. Ogino’s hand in quiet sympathy, then took another sip of tea before changing the subject. “Have you heard? Lady Tachibana has purchased a great deal of white silk. Several bolts of it, as the rumors go. I also hear she has put out a call for seamstresses to come help work it over.”

“No, I hadn’t heard,” Mrs. Ogino said in surprise. “Do you suppose Lord and Lady Tachibana have finally found a suitable suitor for Miss Tomiko?”

“It certainly seems that way, what else could all that white fabric be for but a wedding?”

“I wonder if it has anything to do with that traveling monk they took in recently.”

“Do you think he’s the suitor?” Mrs. Hashimoto asked in astonishment.

“Not unless it was a love match. You said Lady Tachibana is calling for seamstresses?”

“Yes, though I heard it third hand so I can’t be sure how true that is. But Hiromi said the Lady is anxious to have the wedding kimono finished as quickly as possible, and I think she would know.” Mrs. Hashimoto paused to sip her tea as Mrs. Ogino nodded in agreement. “Strangely enough, none of the town’s artisans have been commissioned to finish a wedding trousseau.”

“That is odd,” Mrs. Ogino agreed. “Is it possible the Lord and Lady have sent to a larger city for the rest of Miss Tomiko’s trousseau? Or maybe the rumors are false?”

“Who knows? Only time will tell. Oh, speaking of weddings, Haruna is simply beside herself. She was so looking forward to her son’s wedding, but she fears having it at the same as Miss Tomiko. She doesn’t want to offend Lady Tachibana,” Mrs. Hashimoto added in a confidential tone while Mrs. Ogino murmured her agreement. “So of course she feels they have to put it off. And just when everything was finally falling into place, too.”

“Autumn is a much better time to be married, delaying the ceremony a little will do them no harm.”

“I quite agree, but you know how anxious Haruna is to have the ceremony done with. She wants her son safely married before they have any more… complications.” Both women chuckled over Mrs. Hashimoto’s word choice, the match between the two youths had certainly given everyone involved a head ache. Chihiro had been told by Mrs. Ishikawa’s own daughter that her brother had threatened to elope with his beloved if their parents couldn’t come to an agreeable arrangement.

The pair of women continued with their chat, talking over all the interesting events that happened in their tiny town while Chihiro retreated to the kitchen to make more tea. “I wonder if Miss Tomiko is really marrying the traveling monk,” she said to herself as she gathered more snacks. “I hope she’ll be happy, whoever she’s marrying. And if it is the monk I suppose he won’t be traveling any more.”

It wasn’t until that evening that the Oginos found out how much of the gossip was true. Mr. Ogino came home from the Tachibana mansion and put at least two of the rumors to rest, “Lady Tachibana has purchased quite a lot of white silk, and she is anxious to have it made up into a wedding kimono as quickly as possible. In fact, Lord Tachibana has asked if you would come to the mansion and help with the embroidery.”

“I couldn’t,” Mrs. Ogino answered in surprise. “Who would take care of the house or Haruki or make you dinner or… or…” Mrs. Ogino waved a hand in exasperation, too astonished and indignant to keep going.

“I know my dear,” Mr. Ogino soothed. “I made the excuses already and Lord Tachibana was very understanding. But perhaps Chihiro could be of use to Lady Tachibana, surely you could spare her for a week or two. Lord Tachibana mentioned her specifically when I said you couldn’t, and they are particularly anxious to have the wedding at the beginning of the month.”

“I suppose I could do without Chihiro until then, if it will make Lord and Lady Tachibana happy.”

“Oh Father, is Miss Tomiko really going to marry that wandering monk staying with the Lord and Lady? Is it a love match? Does she seem happy?” Chihiro clung to her father’s hand, ready to pepper him with more questions.

“Who cares? I wanna know what Father did today! Did you catch any criminals? Did you have to kill them?” Haruki grabbed Mr. Ogino’s other hand and tugged on it, asking more questions with gruesome delight.

“Why don’t we sit down to dinner and I’ll tell everyone everything, alright?” Haruki whooped and raced to the table at their father’s suggestion. Once everyone was seated and dinner served Mr. Ogino talked about his day between bites. “No stray crooks or rogues today, Haruki. We had a very quiet, peaceful day, though I heard in the next town over there was nearly a riot over water shortages.”

Chihiro shuddered, it was hard enough for them to get by even living next to a river. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for anyone living without such a convenient water source. Mrs. Ogino didn’t seem to want to hear about water shortages either, “You never told us of Miss Tomiko’s groom, darling.”

“Lord Tachibana never mentioned the groom, just that Lady Tachibana was working on a wedding kimono and needed help to have it finished by the first.”

Both Mrs. Ogino and Chihiro wilted a little, they both had been so eager to hear all the details. Mrs. Ogino cheered right back up, turning to her daughter with a bright smile. “Chihiro, you’re sure to hear more about it while helping to make the kimono! Make sure you bring home every scrap of news you hear.”

Chihiro smiled and nodded, “Of course, Mother.”

The next morning Mrs. Ogino was fussing over Chihiro’s clothes. Family pride dictated she be immaculate while in the Tachibana’s home and Mrs. Ogino was going to make sure family pride was appeased. Chihiro resisted the urge to roll her eyes, surely she’d be covered in dust head to toe in the short walk to the mansion. Unfortunately the young woman didn’t take her mother’s preparedness into account, she found herself being finished off with a thin coat thrown over her clothes and a scarf tied about her head.

“Mother,” she cried in protest. “I’ll faint of heat exhaustion before even getting there!”

“Nonsense, it’s a short walk and you will have your father’s arm to lean on should you feel faint. Besides, it’ still early and cool outside. And I won’t have my own daughter arriving at any lord’s mansion in anything less than perfect condition,” Chihiro opened her mouth but her mother cut her off. “Even if she is only going to help sew some seams.” Chihiro’s mouth snapped shut, her protest countered even before she could utter it.

There was a knock at the door, “Are you ready yet? It’s time we were going.”

“Yes, we are ready,” Mrs. Ogino replied. She opened the door to find Mr. Ogino standing impatiently in the doorway, Haruki was running back and forth further down the hallway with Mr. Ogino’s helmet wobbling on his head.

“You both look lovely,” Mr. Ogino said, then gave his wife a goodbye kiss on the cheek. Mrs. Ogino blushed happily before sending them on their way. Haruki reluctantly handed over his father’s helmet, then stood next to their mother as they both waved goodbye.

Chihiro smiled and waved back, but seeing all the withered and dying shrubs and trees outside their home made the smile fall right off her face. She turned to her father and said quite lightly, “You’d think Mother was sending me away for a long journey instead of five minutes walk up a hill.”

“She’ll probably be lonely without you, you know.”

“Yes, I know… but I’ll be sure to bring home some juicy gossip to make it all worthwhile.”

“What a considerate daughter you are,” Mr. Ogino laughed. Chihiro laughed with him, but choked on the dust they had kicked up while walking. “I was thinking of digging up all the old trees around the house,” Mr. Ogino said once Chihiro’s coughing fit died down, as a way to change the subject. “It won’t do for one of Lord Tachibana’s retainers to have such a miserable looking home. Perhaps fill the yard with river stones, what do you think?”

Chihiro glanced at the river, barely visible between buildings, then quickly looked ahead again. For some reason it always pained her to see how low and dirty the river had become recently, though river rocks were certainly much easier to get at now. “If it makes you happy, Father, I’m sure it’ll look quite pretty. You could make a pattern out of them.”

“A pattern, I like it. How lucky I am to have such a clever daughter.” Mr. Ogino smiled down at his daughter, who blushed and smiled back at his praise. Even if he was just being indulgent.

Then they were walking through the gates to the Tachibana mansion, beautiful and pristine as always. The trees and flowering plants inside the protective walls were lush and upright, the fragrance of them already a heady perfume even in the cool of the morning. They must be overpowering in the heat of the day, Chihiro thought to herself. Mr. Ogino took Chihiro along a path made of large, smooth stones around to the side of the mansion and dropped her off at one of the servant entrances.

“Ah, the daughter of the famous Mr. Ogino, we’re quite honored,” said the older woman who greeted her. “Here, let me take your things.” Chihiro obediently unwound the scarf about her hair and pulled off her overcoat, glad to have one less layer since the sun was already warming up the air around them. Her things were handed over to a silent lower servant, who bowed his way out of the room. “Now, follow me. We have a work room set aside just for the wedding preparations. Oh, the kimono is so lovely already, though it’s just barely begun.” The woman led Chihiro into the mansion, taking her back into the inner rooms set aside for the every day work needed to keep a mansion running. “Here we are, you’ll be working with Mrs. Akiyama. Mrs Akiyama, here is Miss Ogino to help you with the embroidery.”

“Oh, the Ogino girl! I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise,” Chihiro replied, bowing politely to the older woman. Behind Mrs. Akiyama she noticed several other girls around her age lined up along one of the bolts of white fabric. She was happy to see she wouldn’t have to spend the entire day sitting with women her mother’s age, especially as she already knew most of the girls.

“Now, before we begin I have a question to ask and I want an honest answer,” said Mrs. Akiyama, snapping Chihiro’s attention back to her. “How are you at sewing?”

“I can make even, straight stitches, though I’m not so fast as Mother and need a pattern to work off of.”

“Confident in yourself, yet modest, I see your parents raised you well. I think you’ll prove to be very helpful, everyone has to work off the same pattern or the kimono would be a mess of too many patterns, and I’d take a turtle who could do things right the first time over a hare that has to take out and start over her work ten times.” Mrs. Akiyama nodded her head emphatically, as if her saying so made a statement undeniable truth. Chihiro smiled to herself, this woman was simply delightful to be around and she hoped working with her stayed delightful. “Now, you sit here between Kokoro and Hanae,” the older woman placed Chihiro between a pair of familiar girls who smiled at Chihiro as they scooted to either side. “Here are the needles and thread, and the pattern is a bit complicated so make sure you pay attention.” Mrs. Akiyama explained the pattern to Chihiro, then moved off to check the other girls’ work.

“So what have you heard about Miss Tomiko’s betrothed?” Chihiro asked as she started making stitches.

“Nothing yet,” replied Kokoro petulantly, a frown pulled low on her thin face.

“We’ve only just arrived ourselves, hopefully we’ll hear more about it once everyone gets into a rhythm,” Hanae added.

“In the meantime, did you hear about Hiro Ishikawa and Etsuko’s wedding being pushed back?” Kokoro asked with a smile.

“Oh yes,” several girls replied.

“Mrs. Ishikawa is fretting about it in the most awful way,” added someone from further down the bolt. Chihiro wasn’t sure who since she kept her eyes on her work.

“I heard that too, from Kiku. She says her brother was a bit upset about the delay, but then he said it’d give Etsuko’s family a change to make her a proper trousseau and he cheered right back up.”

“Have any idea what they’ve prepared so far?”

A very thorough discussion of Etsuko’s trousseau followed, before the girls meandered onto other subjects. Mrs. Akiyama was continually walking around them, checking to make sure no one strayed from the pattern. When the work was running smoothly she was quite willing to join in on the chatter and add her own gossip to the mix. And yet, for all that Chihiro never heard anything more about Miss Tomiko nor her upcoming nuptials.

“Nothing at all?” asked Mrs. Ogino that evening as Chihiro told her about her day while helping her clean up after dinner.

“Strange, isn’t it? We talked about every little thing that has happened recently, and I’m sure even some that haven’t, but no one knows anything about Tomiko aside from the kimono we’re all working on.”

“It is strange,” Mrs. Ogino agreed. “Perhaps we shall hear more as the wedding draws closer, certainly we’ll know more after the wedding if nothing else. Either way, I’m glad your first day went well and I’m proud of you for doing good work.”

Chihiro smiled and shyly thanked her mother for the compliment.


	2. Needle and Thread

Half way through the second week and still no one knew any more about Miss Tomiko’s wedding than when Lady Tachibana first purchased the many yards of silk. Most of the girls had gone half wild to know more but couldn’t do anything other than keep on laying down stitches. The first of the month was still a week away, but there was plenty of work to keep everyone busy up until the last minute. Perhaps more than that even, several more women were asked to come in and work on the kimono.

“Hello my darling little turtles,” Mrs. Akiyama said to Chihiro’s group while a rather thin girl about their age stood nervously next to her. “This is Kiyoko, she’ll be joining us for the last week. Kiyoko, you can sit between Miss Kokoro and Miss Chihiro.” The two girls scooted aside to make more room for the new girl as she settled into place and had everything explained to her.

Once Mrs. Akiyama had moved to correct another girl’s mistake, Kiyoko turned eagerly to Chihiro and clasped one of the young woman’s hands in her own bony ones. “Are you the Chihiro who was spirited away as a child?”

Chihiro slipped her hand disdainfully out of Kiyoko’s grip and turned back to her own work. “So I’ve been told,” she said after a prolonged silence.

“Why, don’t you know if you were spirited away or not?”

With a sigh Chihiro began her explanation, “I was visiting Gram up the mountain side,” she motioned in the genera direction with her head while Kiyoko nodded eagerly. The new girl still hadn’t picked up her work, the others kept hard at their work though the silence was heavy in the air. It seemed everyone was eager to hear her version of the story. “I was playing outside in the forest when I noticed it had grown a bit late. So I went inside for supper and everyone made a big fuss over me. They said I had been missing for three days, but all I ever knew was I went outside in the morning and came back to a lot of upset people.” Chihiro shrugged, it was hard to get worked up over something she couldn’t remember. She just wished everyone else would forget too.

“That’s it?”

“Everyone else was so worried over me that Father took me home that evening. When we got home there was little new born Haruki. He was so sweet and cute… until he woke up.” Chihiro laughed a little, that about summed up her brother even now.

Kiyoko seemed to deflate as Chihiro finished up her story, then turned to pick up her needle and thread. “So you really don’t remember being spirited away?”

“Not at all.” Chihiro’s statement had such a final note to it that the conversation simply stopped.

“It’s too bad Chihiro’s grandmother died a few months back, she tells the story much better,” one girl whispered. And it might have gone unheard if not for the fact that everyone else was stone silent.

Hanae cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention. “Do you think we’ll have the kimono finished by next month?” Chihiro gave Hanae a grateful look for the change in subject.

“With the extra help brought in we just might,” said one girl as a grin spread across her face. “Why, if we had any more help I don’t think there’d be enough room for anyone to work!” A few giggles rippled through the group.

“I heard something very interesting from my cousin yesterday,” cut in one girl after no one else picked the conversation back up. “She says the kimono isn’t even for Miss Tomiko.” Everyone gasped at the girl’s words. Miss Masami, Chihiro reminded herself.

“Then who is it for? Who else would Lady Tachibana make a wedding kimono for?”

“A bride for the gods,” Miss Masami replied in a gruesome voice. There were several gasps and protests against such a barbaric thing. “That’s what Mei said, and she usually works over there with the grannies.” The young woman pointed to a group across the room that mostly held little old ladies with white hair and a few middle aged matrons. “You know the grannies would be the ones to actually know what’s going on.”

The girls murmured amongst themselves, if anyone would be told anything surely it would be the grannies. And even if not, they always got their information somehow, that’s just what grannies did. “How do you know Miss Tomiko isn’t the bride? Changing the groom from a wandering monk to a god doesn’t mean the bride has to be changed.” That seemed to stump Miss Masami, silence descended on the girls as they pondered over this new piece of news.

Chihiro couldn’t believe it, things couldn’t have gotten as bad as all that. She was so sure the rumor was just hearsay that she didn’t even bother telling her family about it at dinner that night. She talked about the new girls who had come in to help and some of the chatter about the Tachibana household and the goings on in the village, but no mention was made of grannies or gods that night.

The rumor spread even without her help, by the next morning it seemed accepted as a matter of fact and everyone was already speculating as Chihiro arrived to the mansion the next morning. “Really,” she heard a man’s voice as she passed through the hallways. “The Ogino girl?” Chihiro stopped in her tracks when she heard her name.

“You did ask me to pick who I though would be most likely,” replied another man.

“No,” said the first. “I said the prettiest. I’ll grant you that she is pretty, but I wouldn’t call her the prettiest.”

“What you really meant was who I thought most likely and she’s most likely, what with her history. A toddler couldn’t have swum through that river, something had to have brought her ashore.” A door opened and two men stood staring at Chihiro, both struck silent. It was like some spell on the young woman had been broken and she could finally move. She quickly rushed past the two gaping men, anything was better than listening to more of that.

Once inside the work room Chihiro breathed a sigh of relief, most of the other girls were already here and were gathered about their bolt of fabric. As she walked up to her friends she heard a pair of shrill voices rise over the rest of the room. “I tell you, only a girl of noble blood would be the fit bride for a god.”

“And I tell you, the Ogino girl has been Touched. The gods want her back and if we don’t give her this torment will continue.” Someone must have noticed the talked about girl standing stock still, mid stride, halfway to her group of friends for there was loud shushing followed by heavy silence that pervaded the room.

Chihiro quickly found a spot to sit down, then turned to her neighbor and brightly said, “How is Etsuko’s trousseau coming along? Have her parents started adding anything frivolous yet?”

A brief discussion followed, most of the girls agreed that nothing new had happened since the last time they talked the matter over. “What about you, Chihiro? You’re old enough to be married, hasn’t your father or mother picked you out a suitor yet?”

Chihiro blushed and stuttered for a moment, not expecting the conversation to turn back on her like that. “Well… it’s just… they haven’t mentioned anything to me yet. But Father has been writing letters to his mother and relatives a lot recently, he might be trying to arrange a suitable marriage through them…”

“Oh? What’s your grandmother like? Think she’ll find you a nice, handsome young man?”

“I’ve yet to meet Father’s mother. But I’m sure she wouldn’t have her own granddaughter marry some horrible drunkard or something. And what about you, Shizuka?”

With much giggling and tittering the girls talked about their own beaux and whether or not their family was important enough to care about arranging a marriage for them.

Fortunately for Chihiro, the temperature suddenly rising as the first of the month drew ever nearer put tales of brides on hold. Instead everyone started telling stories and other tales of horror. Chihiro delighted in these gory stories along with the other girls, feeling a delicious shiver run up and down her spine when the tale of the mountain hag who disguised herself as a sweet little old woman before she devoured your flesh was told, or when one of the girls said her cousin said his friend, the son of a merchant, saw a ghostly hand beckoning to him through a wall in the middle of the night Chihiro happily shrieked and laughed along with the others. Ah, if only they could stay on safe subjects like this, she could happily finish her time working on the kimono and then go home.

It was the last day of the month, about half of the women working on the kimono had left because there were only so many pairs of hands to do the finishing stitches before it was too many. Chihiro was one of the last to stay, she had been told by Mrs. Akiyama that since she was so diligent and had proved herself useful she was specifically requested to stay on. That morning Haruki had been a little nightmare, he had become increasingly fussy as the temperature soared and Mrs. Ogino feared the heat was making him ill.

“Come, Chihiro, we don’t want to be late,” Mr. Ogino called as Chihiro helped her mother clean up breakfast.

“Father, shouldn’t I stay home and help mother today? She’s been overworked since Lady Tachibana bought the kimono and Haruki’s not doing well. It’s the last day, surely they don’t need the help of one little ‘turtle’ to slow everyone else down.”

Mr. Ogino paused as he thought it over, “Lord Tachibana did ask for your help by name, and I’m told you have been praised for doing good work.”

“Yes…” said Chihiro a bit hesitantly.

“Your mother and brother will be fine for one more day, now come along.”

Chihiro sighed, “Yes Father.”

“Not wearing that you’re not.” Mrs. Ogino interrupted, grabbing Chihiro by the shoulders and steering her further into their home. “You go on ahead, darling. Chihiro will be along shortly and I’m sure she can manage the walk by herself.” Mr. Ogino complied with his wife and left while Mrs. Ogino insisted on adding the extra layer to protect Chihiro from the dust. Haruki was boisterously running in and out of the room, bumping into either woman and just generally being a loud nuisance. By the time Mrs. Ogino finally managed to get Chihiro into a presentable state she was already sweating, but she put a smile as she finally bid her family goodbye.

“Do you have to go?” Haruki whined, clinging to Chihir’s hand.

“Yes, you heard father. But today is the last day, I’ll stay home with you all day tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Of course. Be good for Mother, okay?”

Haruki nodded as Chihiro gave him a goodbye kiss and pouted as she walked out of sight. The young woman set a quick pace once she was past her family’s gate. The walk may be quick but not quick enough to suit her on such a hot morning with her mother insisting on extra layers. It was with relief she shed the scarf and thin coat on entering the mansion. Hopefully she wouldn’t get a scolding for being so late once she arrived.

On entering the work room Chihiro saw the other girls left were already gathered in a tight cluster as one of the grannies leaned into the center of their gathered faces. She was about to call out a friendly greeting when what the granny was saying registered, “… three days everyone in the village searched the mountain side, looking for any sign of the missing little Chihiro. For three days not a trace of her could be found, it was as if she had simply vanished into thin air. Then, on the afternoon of the third day-”

“Oh, Chihiro! A bit late today, I hope everyone at home is doing well.”

Chihiro turned at Mrs. Akiyama’s voice, plastering on a wide smile in greeting. “Good morning Mrs. Akiyama! Everyone at home is fine, it’s just some mornings are easier to manage than others. I’ll be getting right to work.” Chihiro turned, the other girls were all bent over their work, demurely silent as their needles dance through fabric. Chihiro strode towards them as a chill that did nothing to dispel the heat ran up her spine. She sat herself as far away from the grannies as possible, bending just as demurely over the fabric they were putting the finishing touches on today.

Her neighbor, Kiyoko, reached out and gave one of Chihiro’s hands a gentle squeeze. “Don’t mind them,” Kiyoko whispered. “It’s just silly gossip. A scary story to tell to drive away the heat.”

Chihiro gave no response, she just wanted to get her work done and go home.

It was late afternoon when one of the servants came and called Chihiro away from the work room. He led her through long hallways and stopped outside on of the parlors, opening the door for Chihiro walk in alone. She stepped into the room and found Lord and Lady Tachibana standing on one en, the old family monk standing solemnly next to Lady Tachibana and a stranger dressed as a monk standing resolutely next to Lord Tachibana. Standing before the lord and lady was a man facing away from Chihiro. She though the person might be her father, he was certainly wearing her father’s armor, but she had never seen her proud father look so hunched and defeated.

Lord Tachibana looked up as Chihiro entered, “Ah, and here is Miss Chihiro now. Come in, child, we have much to discuss.” At the lord’s comment the man standing before the Tachibanas turned at looked at Chihiro. He was her father, wearing such a sad, grim expression. Her fathered hadn’t looked so sad and grim since Gram had died. Something must be terribly wrong now. As Chihiro stepped up to stand next to her father, the strange monk was saying something. Something awful. And then she felt her world drop out from under her feet.


	3. Duty and Sacrifice

Chihiro hadn’t made a scene as she was escorted away from her father. Everyone thought she was being quite reasonable, but really she was too numb to react just yet. The knife she always carried on her, the knife her father had given her as a gift and her mother had taught her how to use as a samurai’s wife or daughter should, was taken away before she ever even thought of using it. What they thought she would do with it she wasn’t sure, but still it was taken away. She was escorted to a room with several men in armor standing before the door, two older women were waiting for her inside. The women chattered at her the whole night through, saying things like “duty” and “great honor” and much more that Chihiro soundly ignored. She simply sat in one place, staring at a fixed spot on the wall.

As if on a loop the traveling monk’s words ran through her head: “We looked into the village’s records and found that though the drought certainly got much worse three years ago it actually started a few years before that. Seven years ago, the same year you were spirited away…” So it had come back to that again, it felt like every time she turned around lately someone was talking about the time she was spirited away as a child.

Some time later, with the sky still dark and full of stars, the room was suddenly invaded by a horde of women. They crowded into the room carrying various things, including the many layers of the wedding kimono she had helped make. Chihiro silently complied with every order she was given, letting them strip her of her own clothes, obediently holding still as they washed her, holding her head in whatever position they asked as they applied make up and styled her hair, standing perfectly still as layer after layer of white silk were wrapped around her. Her silence must have unnerved them because at least one of the women was always chattering inanely on. As she stood with arms outstretched while the sash was being tied Chihiro curled her fingers in and felt the embroidery along the sleeve edge. Cranes frolicking among rolling waves, probably stitches she had carefully put in herself.

Lady Tachibana came into the room and inspected everyone’s handiwork. “Yes, good work, she looks very well. All except that sour face. Chihiro, you needn’t smile, but must you look as if you were trying to slay us with your eyes? You should feel honored, being offered as a god’s bride is a great distinction.”

Chihiro turned her hard stare on Lady Tachibana, “Would you feel the same if it was Tomiko being offered?”

Lady Tachibana’s face turned an unbecoming shade of red, “Why you insolent little peasant!” She moved to slap Chihiro, but one of the other women stepped between the young woman and the noblewoman.

“Chiyo, don’t do anything disgraceful. Not today, not to Miss Ogino.”

Lady Tachibana reeled back as if the older woman had slapped her, her face darkened even further as she glared haughtily at Chihiro, “Remember your duty, girl. Remember why you are doing this and why it must be you and no one else.” With that she flounced out of the room, leaving the others to sigh in relief.

The older woman who had stepped in front of Lady Tachibana turned around to face Chihiro, “The ceremony will begin soon, do you have any last wishes or words you’d like to say?”

Chihiro briefly looked the woman over, then returned her gaze to the wall. Let her retort to Lady Tachibana be her last words, anything else she might have said she didn’t want sent along second hand.

Someone said, “It’s time,” and Chihiro was ushered out into the courtyard where a crowd had gathered in little, huddled groups around lit lanterns. Everyone was dressed in the most extravagant outfits she had ever seen, a tall boy in clothes too big for him hurried over with a parasol he lifted over her head. In the east the sky was just barely beginning to brighten. The groups move to line up in two neat rows facing the mansion’s gates. Chihiro wondered over that, she hadn’t put much thought into where the ceremony was to be held but she hadn’t even considered that it wouldn’t be at the Tachibana family shrine.

With the chiming of bells the procession began, a slow crawl that would lead who knew where. It seemed ages just to exit the Tachibana grounds, Chihiro stared out at everyone who had gathered to watch the procession pass by. It felt like the whole village had come out, many of them faces Chihiro knew very well. She was struck by how thin and miserable every last one of them looked, and then dismayed with herself for not noticing the obvious sooner. Of course they were thin and miserable, hard times did that to everyone. Even little Haruki had grown noticeably thin and wiry over the summer. Sweet little rambunctious Haruki, who now slept through half the day and always wolfed down what little food they had as if he hadn’t eaten in a week. Mother had grown thin too, she always gave herself such small portions so the rest of their family could have that little more. There was so little to go around anymore.

They were passing by her home, but her family wasn’t outside watching like the rest of the village. Between all the skinny, dirty villagers lined up along the roadway she saw the grounds around their home, the ground all torn up and all the trees missing. Some stones were piled up next to the house but they hadn’t been arranged yet. Chihiro looked away, bowing her head to hide the painful sight of her once beautiful home in such a sorry state. Her family wasn’t there to see her go, she wasn’t sure whether to be happy or sad. She never got to give them a proper farewell.

The young woman silently followed the procession, not lifting her head until suddenly everyone halted. She looked up to find herself right at the foot of a bridge. The Bridge. The largest bridge in or around the village, the one she had been told she fell from as a toddler and then swept ashore by the current despite how anything else that had ever fallen from the bridge was quickly dashed against rocks. Further up, at the very center of the bridge, she saw the wandering monk and a priestess waiting for her next to a shrine. Probably hastily put together for today. Chihiro had to suppress the laughter that was bubbling up through her, it all made sense now. The river! Of course they were trying to gain favor with the god of the river. The same river she had never feared for as long as she could remember. When others said the waters were too swollen from the summer runoff or a recent storm Chihiro had fearlessly shed her clothes for a refreshing swim. She danced over the rocks of the rapids without a second thought she hadn’t wanted to bother going all the way to The Bridge to cross over. She laughed when others were too fearful to wade out past the shallows to get at the cleanest water away from the muddy shore. Looking out over the dark, seemingly sluggish water she realized even now she didn’t fear the river at all. She stood tall and straight as she stepped onto The Bridge and slowly walked towards the monk and his shrine. She idly wondered if she would be swept ashore like she had as a babe all those years ago.

Before she knew it the ceremony was half over and a cup of wine was offered to her. Chihiro took the cup, sipped from it, then flung the remaining wine, cup and all, over the railing and into the river. Then she hitched up her skirts and stepped up onto the railing. It was a struggle to get up there, the layers of white, embroidered silk were heavy and the sash was restrictive. Several hands reached up and tried to pull her down to safety but they wouldn’t be enough, she heard footsteps pounding up The Bridge but they wouldn’t be in time. Fingers fisted in the expensive fabric, she stepped out into space “just as if she expected to step onto solid ground” others would later tell the story. There was a glorious moment of short lived free fall before Chihiro hit the muddy water below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would think Chihiro had other weapons hidden on her person. All throughout history in every part of the world women’s fashion has been driven by the weapons women chose to hide on their person. Large, round jewelry, especially rings, came into fashion in western Europe as an easy way to sneak poison around. And hat pins at the turn of the last century are a truly interesting subject. But enough of that, we’re now officially past the half way point! Thank you everyone who’s read so far and I hope you stick around for the rest, someone very important is finally going to make an entrance next chapter.


	4. Confrontation and Revelation

Chihiro was amazed to find herself sitting awkwardly in shallow water surrounded by reeds. Wetness was slowly seeping up her sleeves and skirts, and the reeds were gently brushing against her as a breeze played over the water’s surface. She looked up and around, she was in the shallows of a river only a few footsteps from shore. Fruit, vegetables, and a pair of wine bottles were bobbing serenely near her, a covered dish floated out just past the last reeds. The sun reflecting off the deeper water dazzled her eyes. In shock Chihiro ran her hands over her hair and inspected her clothes, still intact save for the veil which had gone missing somewhere along the way. She looked around herself almost frantically, hoping to spot the missing veil. Instead her eyes landed on a magnificent castle right on the river’s shore. It was far larger and more elegant than the Tachibana mansion, with sunlight reflecting off the finely polished wood and beautifully carved statues. She could see several elegant people spilling out of the castle and rush towards her.

Chihiro attempted to stand then, but the weight of the soggy kimono pulled her right back down into the sparkling water around her. And old man, far older than anyone she had ever seen before, with more wrinkles than face and bushy white eyebrows over his squinting eyes, was the first to reach her. “Here, let us help you up, my dear.” The old man held out a hand to Chihiro, which she shyly took. Another man, about her father’s age, came up to her other side and took her other hand. Between the two of them they soon had her hefted up out of the water and were leading her ashore. Once safely on dry land the old man turned to the others who had gathered around them, ever one of them dressed in dazzling clothes far more elegant than anything she had ever seen before. “Well the rest of you gather what’s left, we can’t leave it floating in the river.” Chihiro watched in amazement as the others obediently followed the old man’s directions, wading out into the water without a thought to their beautiful clothes. Chihiro wanted to protest, surely their clothing would be ruined, but before she had a chance the old man had placed her hand on his arm and started for the castle. “Come along, my dear, we can’t leave you out here in those soaked clothes.”

Inside the castle’s entrance Chihiro stepped out of her shoes and into the slippers a radiantly dressed person laid out for her, she suddenly realized that her clothes were completely dry as if she had never fallen into the river. She was about to ask the old man what had happened but he had already taken her hand back and was gently placing it on his arm. “This way, my dear.” He led her further into the castle and Chihiro tried to remember how exactly she had gotten to this point. She had jumped into the river, that much she remembered clearly, and quickly sunk into the murky depths. She vaguely recalled hearing splashes as other things hit the water, probably the sacrifices being thrown in after her. The sacrifices being gathered up by the elegant people who helped her up. Servants? Did servants wear brocade clothes woven with silver and gold? Chihiro shook her head and tried to re-order her thoughts. She had jumped into the river and sank, her clothes had been too heavy to even attempt swimming. Then a strong current picked her up, the water around her was suddenly rushing and flowing past so fast she had to close her eyes tightly and… and there had been something solid for her to cling to? Then suddenly she was sitting in the shallow water right next to a huge castle but she couldn’t remember ever having broken the river’s surface. Did it just happen so fast she didn’t remember? Was she still in the river next to her village? Was there another river flowing underneath their river? Had she crossed the veil into the spirit realm?

Whatever questions Chihiro had would have to wait, the old man had led her into a grand room, all dark wood paneling and gold inlaid carvings. The room was very long, with beautiful tapestries lining the walls. At the other end were intricately carved panels framing a mural of a white dragon painted onto the wall. Chihiro only briefly paid attention to the mural as her focus switched to a beautiful man sitting in an intricately carved chair atop a dais just before the mural. He had long, dark hair tied back from his face, pale skin, and piercing green eyes that seemed strangely familiar, though she was sure she had never seen him before in her life. How could she forget such a man?

The old man stopped before the dais and bowed, Chihiro mirroring him awkwardly. “My lord Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, here is the bride the Tachibana village has sent you: Miss Chihiro Ogino.”

Chihiro turned to look at the old man in surprise, how did he know her name? The old man gently nudged Chihiro, she took this as her cue and stepped forward. She stood uncertainly in front of the beautiful man. The god of my village’s river, she reminded herself. “It is an honor to meet you,” Chihiro said when Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi didn’t respond to the old man. For all her confidence when she stepped of The Bridge she had expected to drown, everyone had expected her to drown. No one had ever told her what to do when you’ve been drowned and then taken to be introduced to the river you just drowned in and whom, by the way, was now your husband.

“So tell me,” Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi stated sharply, “why has your tiny village seen fit to send me a bride I never asked for?”

Chihiro quailed at the god’s imperious tone, she wasn’t sure why but it didn’t suit him at all. Then she remembered why she had been sent here in the first place and got down on her hands and knees. “Please, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, oh great and powerful god, my home has been plagued by a terrible drought for several years. I’ve been sent to humbly beg you to use your power to send my home respite, please don’t let them wither and die.” She kept her head down as she waited for his response.

“Would it not be better if I did not? Think of how your village will react, what’s to stop them from drowning some other poor girl in my waters the next time they have a particularly dry rainy season? Would you have them inflicting this destiny on some other poor girl?”

“Please, my lord, if you do not there won’t be a village left to worry about.”

“You beg for the lives of the people who would so carelessly throw your own away?”

“I do, my lord.” Chihiro continued to stare at her hands as she heard Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi sigh deeply. She couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like at this moment.

“You have done well, Chihiro Ogino. I will do what I can for your village.”

Chihiro looked up then, delighted with her success. She gave him a dazzling smile before bowing her head again. “Thank you, my lord.” The young woman rose and stood facing the river god, unsure what to do next.

“And what shall I do with my unplanned for bride?” Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi paused as he seemed to think the matter over. Chihiro stood with her hands clasped, waiting for the river god to decide. “I suppose I shall keep you as an honored guest while I think the matter over. Yamauchi,” The old man to Chihiro’s side perked up and stepped next to her at Nigihayami Hokaku Nushi’s call. “Show Miss Ogino to the guest quarters and have a private supper sent to her.”

“As you wish, my lord.” The old man, Mr. Yamauchi, bowed to the river god. Chihiro mirrored him, then he placed her hand on his arm as the old man led her away. Chihiro was silent for the journey, too busy alternating between admiring the building and thinking over her short interview with Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. As they turned down a long corridor she noticed a pair of ethereal women in beautiful clothing standing to either side of a doorway.

“That must be our destination,” Chihiro thought to herself. She turned out to be correct, Mr. Yamauchi slowed to a halt and took her hand from his arm, giving it a comforting pat.

“Here we are, my dear. Please forgive his lordship’s coldness, we were all quite shocked that anyone would… well… I’m sure he’ll be a very gracious host. You must be tired after everything you’ve been through today, get some rest.”

“Thank you, Mr. Yamauchi.” Chihiro bowed politely to the old man, who returned it before turning and heading back up the hallway. The young woman turned her attention to the door she was standing before. The two ethereal women still stood to either side of the open doorway, inside she could see two more women standing silently inside an extravagant looking room. Chihiro stepped inside, casting a quick glance around. It was all dark wood paneling, intricate carvings, and plush cushions laid out around a richly colored table. The two women standing outside the door came in, closing the door behind them, and stood next to the other two already inside. They looked very similar, perhaps closely related, and were wearing similar clothing. Chihiro politely bowed to the quartet and gave them a tentative smile, “Hello, my name is Chihiro.”

One of the women tittered, the one next to her nudged the first none too gently them smiled at Chihiro. “We know, everyone in the palace knows. We’re honored to serve the bride of our master, Mistress Chihiro.” All four bowed deeply to her in unison, Chihiro bowed hurriedly back then blushed when she remembered she had already bowed to them. “My name is Nadeshiko,” she continued. “These are my sisters: Sakura, Momoka, and Kiku.” Each sister nodded as Nedeshiko introduced them, Chihiro nodded in return. “Now, how about we get you into something a bit more comfortable before your supper arrives, alright?” It took three of the sisters working together to get the heavy wedding kimono off while the last retrieved a neatly folded pile of clothing. Once Chihiro was undressed two of the sisters dressed her again while the other two disappeared with the wedding kimono.

By the time the two who had left returned, a large covered tray in hand, Chihiro was finished being dressed and comfortably seated at the table. She found her new clothes to be light and easy despite obviously being far finer than anything she had ever worn before, over done wedding kimono included. The large tray was placed before her and the lid lifted to reveal a beautifully presented meal that looked simply wonderful.

“If you should need anything just call us, we’ll be in the next chamber.” The four sisters bowed themselves out of the room before Chihiro had a chance to do more than nod back to them. It was the first time she had been left alone since being told she had been chosen to be the bride of the gods, suddenly she was very tired. It felt like years had passed though she knew it had only been a single day. When had she even eaten last? She looked down to the meal set before her, it certainly did look delicious. She wasn’t even sure what half the dishes were, but a trio of humble rice balls sat off on their own in the corner. Something about them just seemed so comforting and familiar.

She picked up one of the rice balls and tentatively took a bite. It had a homey taste that would have had her feeling homesick if it didn’t remind her so strongly of being in a garden surrounded by hydrangeas and the smell of pigs. Chihiro had no idea why the rice ball reminded her of something so specific, of a place she didn’t remember ever visiting. She took another bite and was reminded of being so overwhelmed that she sobbed uncontrollably while stuffing more rice balls in her mouth. And a boy, a boy she used to know sitting next to her and comforting her while she cried. Then with the third bite, it was like a dam in her mind burst and she was flooded with memories.


	5. Finale and Epilogue

Chihiro remembered being ten years old and being completely indignant that she had been unceremoniously shipped off to Gram’s home up the mountain side while something very interesting was going on at home. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew somehow that it was very interesting and she was upset that everyone wanted her ‘out of the way’ while it went on. The summer heat wasn’t quite so bad out in the forests as it was down in the village, but the heat still pressed on her. She didn’t feel like laying listlessly about the house because her young cousins were there, mere babies so far as she was concerned, and she hadn’t wanted to play with them just then; and sitting on the porch in the sun, even with a cool watermelon slice to eat and spit seeds into the garden, didn’t sound pleasant either. So to the dappled shadows of the forest she went, eager to climb trees and play with whatever forest creature happened across her path. Those were memories she hadn’t forgotten, that she still vividly remembered whenever anyone mentioned her being spirited away.

The rest of her memories, the ones buried somewhere deep in her mind, were flooding back now. As a child playing in the woods seeing something dart past from the corner of her eye and giving chase without a second thought; the long, sad journey inside a large, metal worm; meeting Kamaji and Rin and the soot sprites for the very first time; being sent desperately back towards the other side of the veil as the sun seemed to drop out of the sky; making friends with the other worker girls in the days (weeks? months?) she was working for Yubaba; how much trouble No-face had made for her and the bathhouse; meeting Yubaba for the first time and signing the contract that would steal her name; the stink spirit who was really a river god and how grateful he was to her; Zeniba’s strange, foreign house and Yubaba’s strange, foreign looking living quarters; climbing up and up and up, stairs upon ladders upon stairs; Zeniba’s baby who towered over everyone in the bathhouse; and throughout it all a pale skinned, dark haired boy with piercing green eyes who was her constant friend. The river god she had freed from a witch’s greedy grasp. The promise she had asked of him when he sent her back to where she belonged.

“Haku!” Chihiro dropped her rice ball and stood up so fast she nearly upset her supper. There was a noise coming from the adjoining chamber, but before Chihiro bothered to worry about it, and before her maids had a chance to see what was going on, she had already fled the room. She ran through the halls, skidding to a stop when she came to a crossroads then running full speed again. There were several startled gasps and yelps of surprise or possibly outrage, but Chihiro paid them no mind as she continued running. Then she was back in the last room she had seen Kohaku. The room was far more crowded than it had been when he spoke with her but the important thing was that Kohaku was still sitting on his grand chair.

It was a long room to run across, he had plenty of time to see her before she got to him, but still all Kohaku managed to do was rise from his seat and stare as Chihiro ran at him full tilt. She hit his chest and wrapped her arms around him, “Oh Kohaku! You kept your promise, we did meet again!” She looked up at him with a brilliant smile spread across her face.

“Chihiro, you remember now?”

“Yes, yes! All that time I spent at the bathhouse, all those things I saw and did, I didn’t think I would ever forget any of it. How could I?”

Kohaku wound his arms around Chihiro, wrapping her in a tight embrace as he leaned forward to touch foreheads with Chihiro. “Humans very rarely remember time spent in the spirit realm, it is simply the way of things. But now that you’re back in the spirit realm your memories have been returned to you. I can’t tell you how worried I was when you didn’t recognize me.”

“You’ve gotten much older since I saw you last.”

Kohaku chuckled, “No, Yubaba cursed me to be a child when she imprisoned me. I simply returned to my true age after you freed me. But you’ve grown quite a bit older yourself.”

Chihiro blushed then, realizing she and Kohaku must be making quite the scene. She glanced quickly around, relieved to see they were now completely alone. The other spirits must have decided to give them their privacy. “Have you been watching over me since I got back from Yubaba’s?” Chihiro asked hesitantly while trying not to think of all the times she had gone swimming in the river.

“Of course! You did rescue me after all.”

“And you rescued me when I was a baby, some would say my rescuing you was simply repaying a debt.”

“But I wanted to watch over you, you’re very dear to me. And I had the promise I made you as an excuse, though I wish we could have met again under different circumstances. I’m still quite annoyed at your village for what they did.”

“Forgive them, they were scared and desperate. I’m alive and well, and here where I belong: with you. Are you really going to help them?”

“Yes, come let me show you.” Kohaku stepped back and offered Chihiro his hand, she took it and together they ran hand-in-hand out of their mansion and up into the air.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Once upon a time in a village nestled up to a river as it swiftly ran its course down a mountain side, there was a great drought that lasted for several years. Fortunately for the poor villagers there lived in their little town an extraordinary young woman who had seen and done wondrous things. If you go to the village and ask the people there about it they’ll tell you the story with glee and perhaps a bit of exaggeration. When asked if they believe the story most of the villagers will say the events are factual and did happen, but how much they believe in what happened after is up for debate. Some argue that Chihiro drowned when she jumped from the bridge.

“Walked off, you mean,” someone would remind them.

“Same difference. But I saw her ghost by the river one night! Soaked through and choked with river weed-”

“The Kohaku river doesn’t grow any river weed, it runs too swiftly.”

“And just waiting for someone to come along to drown out of revenge for the wrong our ancestors did her.”

Others believe that when she fell into the river she wasn’t drowned, but saved by the very spirit she had been sacrificed to. “Why else would the river have suddenly bloated to nearly overflowing its banks the next day?”

“Probably something blocking it upstream finally gave away. Some creature’s dam or a chunk of ice up the mountain finally melting.”

“And then the rainy season starting early and finally coming down in full force after three years of barely spitting on us?”

“Well, the drought had to end some time, didn’t it?”

“The timing is too coincidental, that wasn’t her ghost ol’ man Maeda saw but the real deal.”

“Soaked and covered in river weed?”

“No, of course not. He just saw her and imagined what he wanted to see, then the old coward just ran away without really looking.”

But among the villagers is a small group of people who know a very different story. A group of people who never give a second thought to shedding clothes and going for a swim no matter how swollen or swiftly the river runs, who dance over the rocks of the rapids when going to the nearest bridge is just too far, who never fear wading out past the shallows when collecting water from the river but always with a prayer of petition and gratitude. The Ogino family is well known in the village and though Chihiro’s sacrifice has faded into legend her family is still powerful, and strange, and held in high regard.

If you ever find yourself in this tiny, provincial village and decide to visit the Ogino residence you will be welcomed in for a treat and some lovely tea. If you ask they may even tell you the famed story of their auntie, as told by the rest of the village with perhaps an added flourish here or there. But if you ask the right questions of the right family members you may hear something far better than a musty old legend.

“The Tachibana family? They left a few generations ago, couldn’t stand stand living next to the river any longer. The head of the Ogino family at the time went with them, loyalty and all that. Last we heard the Tachibanas are living in the royal city and uncle is living with the main Ogino family branch again.”

“Your family still serve under the man who ordered your aunt’s death?” You might ask, perhaps the best question you could ask.

“Oh no, Auntie didn’t die at all.” If you are lucky one or another of the Ogino family will tell you Chihiro’s story as they know it rather than as the rest of the village tells it. If you are truly lucky the family will instead continue to gossip: “Sometimes she still comes to visit us and brings her husband and children with her. They’re much better swimmers than the rest of us but we’re still a match for them on land.”

“Uncle Kohaku is still mad at the Tachibana family, he put a curse on them for trying to drown Aunty. That’s why they left, you know. Thought they could get away from it.”

“I heard Aunty ask him when he was going to lift it.” This interjection is met with many oohs and aahs as several of the young folk ask how Uncle Kohaku responded. “He said the power no longer lay with him, that he blessed the Oginos that went with the Tachibanas and it’s up to them to lift their curse. Aunty was a bit exasperated with Uncle Kohaku for that, but then they smiled at each other the way they do whenever they forget the rest of us are there.” The younger Oginos all share nods and knowing smiles amongst themselves, like they are familiar with this common occurrence.

In short: the extraordinary young woman and her devoted river god lived happily ever after.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this AU is based on a manhwa I read the first volume of a very, very long time ago. I liked the premise but the story got dragged out for way too long so I never really got into it. But the premise has haunted me ever since, and then I realized it made a lovely premise for a Spirited Away AU. I want this to piece to have a modern fairytale feel so it’s going to be rather quick and short. Modern fairytale in that it’s a fairytale told with modern morals and sensibilities, not a modern AU of a traditional fairytale. Because of this there are some intentional anachronisms and I’ve kept some things, such as the exact era or setting rather vague to give it that once-upon-a-time feel. I could write an essay about all the stuff I looked up and learned while researching for this fic. Heck, I could write an essay on all the stuff I tried to look up but couldn’t find.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading this and I hope you’ll stick around for the ending!


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